"Stock exchanges are uniquely positioned at the intersection between investors, companies, and regulators. As such they can play a key role in promoting responsible investment and sustainable development."
Mr. James Zhan
Director, Division on Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD
2012 SSE Global Dialogue in Rio di Janiero, Brazil |
The Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative is a UN initiative, co-organized by UNCTAD (Investment and Enterprise Division), the UN Global Compact, the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment and the UNEP Finance Initiative.
The SSE explores how exchanges can work together with investors, regulators, and companies to enhance corporate transparency, and ultimately performance, on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage responsible long-term approaches to investment.
Launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in New York City in 2009, the SSE has been named by Forbes magazine as one of the "World's Best Sustainability Ideas" and was a finalist for the 2011 Katerva Sustainability Award.
The first meeting in 2009 was followed by the 2010 SSE Global Dialogue in Xiamen, China, which took place as part of the UNCTAD World Investment Forum, and was opened by the Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The 2012 SSE Global Dialogue took place in Rio de Janiero, Brazil in the run-up the UN Earth Summit and was opened by the Chairperson of the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission.
Front row, left to right: Corli Le Roux (Head of SRI, JSE); Edemir Pinto (CEO, BM&FBOVESPA), Supachai Panitchpakdi (Secretary-General, UNCTAD); Sandy Frucher (Vice-Chairman, NASDAQ OMX), Ibrahim Turhan (CEO, ISE).
At the 2012 SSE Global Dialogue, UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi issued an open invitation to stock exchanges around the world to partner with the SSE in promoting long-term sustainable approaches to investment. Five leading stock exchanges listing over 4,600 companies in developed and emerging markets immediately accepted the invitation from Dr. Supachai to sign up to this new initiative. The 'founding partners' are the Brazil stock exchange BM&FBOVESPA, Egyptian Exchange (EGX), Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE), Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), and NASDAQ OMX. The SSE continues to sign up new partner exchanges from around the world and the SSE Global Dialogues continue to take place on a biennial basis. In addition, the SSE includes a number of ad hoc projects conducted through its standing Consultative Group, comprised of stock exchanges, regulators, investors, companies and other relevant stakeholders.
For more information on the SSE and its latest activities, please visit: www.SSEinitiative.org or contact: info@SSEinitiative.org